Panamanian brunch: picadillo de bofe con hojaldas. In most of Latin America, "picadillo" denotes a mince, but this chunky style is typical for Panama. And although "bofe" (Bo-fay) is literally beef lung, this word might be a colloquialism in the spirit of "man-and-wife lung slices." That is, the meat might have come from some other part of the beast instead.

As for the hojaldas (oh-Hahl-dahs), these derive their name from the Spanish for "leaf." Torn bits of this excellent fresh-made frybread helped me scarf up the bofe. If you're dining with a buddy or two (the shop's tiny counter seats only three), consider an extra order of hojaldas on the side.

Chosen by the customer, the ingredients in a bowl of Taiwanese lu wei generally pick up the color and flavors of the long-simmered, aromatic liquid in which they are braised; here the house blend reportedly includes star anise, cinnamon, and licorice. Varying textures, then, have an outsized importance. My picks for the cookpot: daikon, beef tendon and stomach, black-rice cakes, and the Prince brand of wavy instant noodles.